Weather Forecasting: How It’s Made

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How weather forecasts are made

It’s all very well reading blogs and news articles on the importance of weather forecasting. But sometimes, all you want to know is how it’s done. So, for all data scientists, meteorologists, meteorologists-to-be and other curious people among you, we’ve created the How It’s Made Series.

In these articles, we’ll give you a look under the hood of weather forecasting, by sharing the knowledge and experience of MeteoGroup specialists for free. We cover observations to quality control and everything in between, to help show you how the weather forecast is made.

Dennis Schulze - Chief Meteorology Officer - MeteoGroup

Sometimes, all you want to know is how it’s made

Category 1. Observations

In the case of weather forecasting, weather stations are your eyes. And the more you see, the more you know. Therefore, building a network of weather stations is key if you want your weather forecasting to be accurate. To give you an overall view, observation data derived from weather stations is completed by radar, lightning and satellite observations.

Category 2. Meteorological and oceanographic (MetOcean) models

The weather today tells you a lot about the weather tomorrow. With mathematical models of the atmosphere and oceans, you can analyze current weather conditions and historical data to predict future conditions. Both quality and quantity are important: several high-level weather models get you better results than just one.

Category 3. Statistical on top Processing

If weather models are the foundations of your forecasting systems, statistical on-top processing is the building block to enhance raw weather data. At MeteoGroup, our experts specialize in three main flavors, focusing on different use-cases: MOS, NMB & ScaDo. We’ve also developed two in-house models: road surface model and route based forecast model.

Category 4. Quality control & data management

Weather forecasting is work in progress, as we discover new weather phenomena, implement new technology and improve data models. This makes it important to carefully monitor your process and make adjustments to improve data accuracy. You need a scalable and interoperable IT infrastructure to support this, and ensure data is properly managed.

Category 5. Meteorology and forecasting expertise

To forecast the weather you need data, but data alone won’t get you any valuable information. You need professional meteorologists (plural!) to monitor the weather 24/7, adapt forecasts when needed, and provide issue warnings. Second, professional meteorologists have the right expertise to consult you and help you in the decision-making process.

Category 6. The Ultimate Guide to Highly Accurate Weather Forecasting

Weather is already impacting your business. More than ever, organizations rely on accurate forecasting to make informed decisions. Get in the know and download the Ultimate Guide to Highly Accurate Weather Forecasting - It’s your complete guide to everything you need to know about weather forecasting.

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